The power of post-purchase marketing
a branded google review card from a restaurant | source: author
97% of consumers read reviews for local businesses, yet lots of SMEs aren't optimising their Google profiles for reviews or encouraging customers to leave them.
This is costing organisations both in terms of business and reputation.
Reviews build trust. They let potential customers know what to expect from your products and services, what you do well and what previous buyers liked about your offerings.
Positive reviews can easily be repurposed and used on websites and social media to showcase social proof. The more social proof you have, the more reputable your business looks, which will attract more customers. In turn, having more customers will generate more reviews and therefore bring in even more customers - a win-win cycle.
And it's not just positive reviews that can work in a business's favour. Negative reviews can help businesses to improve, with 91% of respondents in a study by Trustpilot agreeing that feedback from online reviews enables businesses to improve their products and services. The same study also found that 83% of consumers are more likely to trust a business when it engages with dissatisfied customer reviews to offer a solution. So, even negative reviews can be utilised to improve reputation and build credibility with customers.
While most marketing efforts focuse on bringing customers in, post-purchase marketing is often overlooked. Yet, for small businesses in particular, this is where some of the biggest opportunities lie.
The most effective way to generate reviews is to ask at the right moment: immediately after a product or service has been delivered, when the experience is fresh and the customer is at their happiest.
Making it effortless
Some of the most effective examples include restaurants presenting a branded card or small plaque alongside the bill, with a QR code linking directly to their review page, or automated follow-up emails sent shortly after a purchase or appointment, with a direct link making it effortless to leave feedback.
The key is removing every possible barrier. The easier and more seamless the process for the customer, the more likely they are to follow through.
By asking for a review while you're still top of mind, not weeks or months down the line when the moment has passed, you're maximising the likelihood of a response, and every review can be used as a future piece of content, working for your business long after that customer has moved on.
Why repurpose reviews?
Because they are written directly by customers, reviews are one of the most authentic and credible pieces of content you can share.
They carry more weight than organic social posts or ads because they are unbiased, genuine accounts. Real customer language often does more to encourage sales than anything a brand writes about itself.
Showing that you've addressed an issue, resolved something for a customer, or taken feedback on board to improve your processes makes you seem more trustworthy and credible. Sharing these learnings on social media or your website shows to customers you’re willing to listen to and act on feedback to improve.
Quotes left on platforms like Google or Trustpilot can be turned into branded graphics, aligned with your brand guidelines, and posted on social media to show potential customers what real people think of your products and services. They can also become testimonials for your website, embedded on your homepage or specific product pages to give visitors a positive first impression before they've even made contact.
Set up for success
There are some simple steps you can take right now to optimise your Google profile:
Make sure your profile is fully completed with your name, address, hours, photos, category and description, which all affect how you rank in local search results
Respond to all reviews, positive and negative. This shows gratitude, demonstrates you're willing to address issues, and makes your profile more visible on search engines
Add your review link to your email signature, receipts, and post-appointment messages to make it as easy as possible for customers to follow through
Show your business is active by regularly posting photos and updates on your profile, so both customers and Google can see you're in operation
Reviews are one of the most powerful and cost-effective marketing tools available to small businesses, yet they're consistently underutilised. By making reviews a deliberate part of your post-purchase strategy, optimising your profile to showcase them, and repurposing them across your marketing channels, you're turning every happy customer into a long-term asset.
